mikev wrote:I am fascinated by the name "IETERMAGOG" - and does anyone know how that originated ?And it's English name "PANGOLIN" is also much more creative than Scaly Anteater and how did that originate ?

mikev, glad you brought that question up!

This must be one of the strangest coincidences!

The English name "pangolin" is a derivative of the Malaysian "Peng-go-leng", long before SA times!

Ironically, Malay slaves were brought to the Cape later, and "Ietermagog" also seems to be a subsequent Malay derivative, although I have no idea what it means!

(Translate: The name "ietermagog" was probably derived from Tswana: machocho ("ant") or magogwe ("honey badger"). The word formation, as well as the habitat and role of the animal in the superstitions of indigenous South African tribes support the origin of the word.)

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

According to Meerkat manor, Flower of the Kalahari by Tim Clutton-Brooke: He says one theory is that Meerkat is simply the Afrikaans for Mongoose. The other theory is that the early Dutch settlers used the phrase "meer kat as hond" which was shortened to Meerkat Tha Namaqualand Khoisan call them hcrykyBillyF also asked

Also there appear to be two types of meerkat - what's the difference??

:
According to the same book there are 3 subspecies of Meerkat.
Suricata suricatta iona, found in south-western Angola, Suricata suricatta majoriae in Western Namibia and Suricata suricatta suricatta found in South Africa. According to this book all meerkats in SA are Suricata suricatta suricatta Although they seem to be darker in colour in the eastern cape region. They apparenetly have the same ancestors as mongoose, but are leggier and are adapted to travel more than true mongoose.

"In the end we conserve only that which we love, we love only that which we understand, we understand only that which we are taught" (Baba Dioum, Senegalese Ecologist)

JenB wrote:(Translate: The name "ietermagog" was probably derived from Tswana: machocho ("ant") or magogwe ("honey badger"). The word formation, as well as the habitat and role of the animal in the superstitions of indigenous South African tribes support the origin of the word.)

Thanks, Jenb!

On the other hand, I have also searched around and found little other info!

The point is, there are old Dutch references to Ietermagog from the Cape, long before the Afrikaners met any Tswanas...